Deep Insight Into the Dynamic Behavior of Aluminum Particles in a H ₂ /O ₂ Detonation Environment

ABSTRACT The behavior of aluminum particles in a reactive system, particularly in one that is anaerobic and characterized by temperatures (3000–3700 K) and pressures (7–20 bar) relevant to detonation environments, was investigated using a detonation tube facility and an advanced pyrometry technique. The current study was interested in obtaining insights into the behavior of aluminum oxidation when no free oxygen is available, while also putting emphasis on probing the condensed products occurring in the system. In the experiment, aluminum powder was loaded inside the detonation tube, and hydrogen‐oxygen detonations were initiated. The time‐resolved light emission from the condensed phase was analyzed together with the synchronized pressure traces. The advanced pyrometry analysis revealed a substantial non‐isothermality in light emitters, allowing for the isolation of temperatures of aluminum droplets and the formed nano‐oxides. The inferred temperature of the metal particles, approximately 1600 K, was used to substantiate the endothermic gasification mechanism responsible for the oxidation of aluminum in the system.